TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan-based Youtuber Hailey on Saturday (Jan. 28) shared in a video her family’s encounter with the Taiwan police over the use of handcuffs in public.

In the video, Hailey, her husband Adam, and her brother Peyton reviewed their journey across Taiwan and highlighted memorable foods, attractions, and experiences. When discussing their most memorable conversation, they said it was one that they had with police officers while trying to film a “24-hour handcuff challenge,” a popular trend in the U.S. where people are handcuffed together for a day.

Prior to doing the challenge, Hailey had discussed the idea with her agent and collaborators. “No one thought anything of it,” she said.

Hailey added that she did not want to use toy handcuffs that were unlockable at the press of a button because it would provide an easy way for her brother to get out of the challenge. In the U.S., she said, “everyone” uses handcuffs requiring keys to open, which are usually available at stores and online for purchase.

In the footage, the three handcuffed themselves together, got ready, and went out. They got through breakfast and even spent some time at a park before a police officer stopped them on their way to take the metro.

“You can’t use these in Taiwan,” the officer can be heard saying. “They need to be confiscated … These are illegal in Taiwan.”

Hailey repeatedly apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, we didn’t know.”

Peyton, who did not have his passport on him, was escorted back to his hotel to retrieve it by three officers. “They wanted to know that we didn’t handcuff you,” she told him.

Despite Hailey’s distress, which she said drove her to tears, Adam commended the officers for their professionalism: “They didn’t really escalate the situation, they were chill. They made it clear that they weren’t going to do anything more than just confiscating (the handcuffs), but in the end they didn’t confiscate them, they said just don’t wear these outside, in public.” He said the officers were surprised that they were able to get the handcuffs past customs.

Hailey admitted in retrospect that the challenge had not been a good idea and added, “Thank you to the Taiwanese cops for pulling us over and stopping us from doing that.”

In a statement, the Taipei police said handcuffs are a type of controlled item that cannot be made, sold, or owned without authorization from the Ministry of the Interior per the Act Governing the Use of Police Weapons. Most Taiwanese netizens who commented on Hailey’s video were not aware of the fact, either, and they thanked her for sharing the valuable lesson.

Hailey Jane Richards lives in Taiwan with her husband, Adam Richards. Her YouTube channel focuses on her life in Taiwan, as well as cultural differences between Taiwan and the U.S.

With over 1.48 million subscribers, Hailey is one of the most popular YouTubers in Taiwan.